Quota bill: Mulayam threatens UPA

"Quota bill is anti-national and will divide people. My party has opposed the bill inside and outside the House and will continue its opposition," Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said.

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday warned the Congress led UPA government not to take him for granted. Describing the proposed constitutional amendment bill providing quota to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in promotions in government services as anti-national and anti-social, the Yadav satrap said that his party would review its stand on supporting the UPA government from outside, if the latter decides to push the bill in the parliament.

According to SP leaders, Mulayam during the visit to his Lok Sabha constituency, told his supporters and media-persons his party will review outside support to the UPA government, if the quota bill is tabled in the house for voting. Mulayam also reportedly said that the SP will continue to oppose the bill inside and outside the parliament. He added that it was unfortunate that the SP members opposing the bill in the Rajya Sabha were asked to leave the House.

Yadav reportedly demanded that the central government should first place the facts before the people and the parliament as to how the reservation in promotion will change the situation in government offices. He said that first the impact of such a drastic move should be studied. It will create a permanent rift in the society and divide the country. For just 22% people, rest of the population including upper castes, backwards and minorities will suffer immensely, Yadav reportedly warned.

Yadav, as per SP leaders, also said that he is not against reservation but it should be done while keeping a balance in the society. He also reportedly said that the mariginalised sections of the society should be empowered to avail benefit of the reservation, which would automatically solve many problems. However, after getting reservation facility for appointment, its extension in promotion will create a situation where juniors will become seniors, making governance difficult.

The SP leaders said that Mulayam pointed out If the bill is passed, no prime minister will get a cabinet secretary nor any chief minister will get chief secretary of any other caste, which will demotivate other classes, who will also lose the charm of government services, leading to long term irreversible adverse impact. He also reportedly said that even if the quota bill is passed, final verdict on the issue will be given by the people of the country in the next Lok Sabha elections.

The UPA is left with around 250 MPs in the Lok Sabha after the Trinmool Congress withdrew its support. It is surviving due to support of 22 SP MPs and 21 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MPs. The BSP chief Mayawati has also threatened to withdraw support if the bill is not enacted. The quota bill will be put to vote in the Rajya Sabha on Monday and later in the Lok Sabha. The bill may sail through easily as Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP and other parties are also supporting it.